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Levitated Spinning Graphene

A method is described for levitating micron-sized few layer graphene flakes in a quadrupole ion trap. Starting from a liquid suspension containing graphene, charged flakes are injected into the trap using the electrospray ionization technique and are probed optically. At micro-torr pressures, torques from circularly polarized light cause the levitated particles to rotate at frequencies >1 MHz, which can be inferred from modulation of light scattering off the rotating flake when an electric field resonant with the rotation rate is applied. Possible applications of these techniques will be presented, both to fundamental measurements of the mechanical and electronic properties of graphene and to new approaches to graphene crystal growth, modification and manipulation.